


Tarantism

by royalreddeath



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Dancing, M/M, Memories, Post-Canon, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-06 06:08:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16382789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/royalreddeath/pseuds/royalreddeath
Summary: (n.) The urge to overcome melancholy by dancing.





	Tarantism

_“I liked dancing with you.”_  
_“It was nice.”_  
_“I thought it wasn’t ‘your thing’?”_  
_“Doesn’t mean I wasn’t enjoying it.”_  
_“Aw, you liked dancing with me, Isa.”_  
_“And?”_

Memories often hit Lea at inopportune times, times when he wished to god he couldn’t remember anything ever again, but, for once, that wasn’t the case. It had been nearly an hour since he’d said a word to Isa even though he’d been the one to drag the tired man out of the town’s walls.

He'd taken Isa there to talk and try to move past things that they both didn't want to acknowledge, but their weight had been too much for both men. Words failed Lea and Isa wasn't even giving them a chance.

But good memories alleviate some of that weight from Lea. Actions first, then words.

Without any word of warning, Lea took Isa’s hand and moved it to rest on his hip. 

“Lea, what’re-”

“I liked dancing with you.” 

Previous mood couldn't be ignored so easily. They couldn't bring themselves speak to each other and Lea seemed to want them to ignore it for the sake of nostalgia. It was easier said than done was Isa’s firm belief as his hand remained on Lea’s waist.

The last time it had been there, Lea hadn't been nearly as perfectly shaped to hold. The curve of the man’s hip made his hand feel settled, like it was meant to be there.

Isa sighed. “It was nice.”

“That's the spirit, you do remember.” Lea had been waiting for any confirmation that Isa wasn't just annoyed by his actions to go further. He placed the hand that had moved Isa’s on his shoulder and intertwined the fingers of their other hands. Swaying to music that was only there in his own head.

“You're acting like I’m the one who made things awkward. You invited me out here and have been standing there like you'd suddenly gone mute and didn't know what to do with it.” 

“Yeah, yeah. I know.” 

“I had been trying to sleep.”

“I already apologized for that, Isa. Losing a nap isn’t going to kill you.”

“I haven’t been able to take a nap in over ten years. It might not kill me, but it’ll kill you if you do it again.” Tired eyes locked, but eye contact was immediately broken when Isa rested his head against Lea’s shoulder. Maybe things could be comfortable again. “It’s too bad we need to talk. I hate talking.”

“Do you? I remember you always willing to talk if it was to insult me.”

“That’s not the same thing, Lea.”

“Isn’t it, though?”

“Lea.”

“Alright, it’s not, but you’re right, Isa, we need to talk.”

This time, the long, drawn-out silence that followed those words didn’t have a weight to them that could shatter bone. Lea continued to sway them both back and forth, squeezing Isa’s hand and smiling down at him. No matter what was said, he felt certain they could return to this. They’d keep each other safe this time around, they knew how to. They weren’t stupid kids anymore. 

“... I don’t want to. Can we just dance, Lea?”

“Sure. We’ll just dance.” Lea had felt the hurt behind Isa just saying his name, he deserved a break. He began to hum a song they’d danced to as teenagers to help them stay in sync. He loved Isa, he really did. Despite everything that had gone wrong in the years that forced them to grow up, Lea never stopped loving Isa. Maybe Axel did for a while, but Lea couldn’t. 

_“Would you just sit around and be sad about it?"_  
_“Probably.”_  
_“Isa, that’s terrible.”_  
_“You asked.”_

Lea carefully began to lead them into something closer to real dancing, at least more like dancing than swaying back and forth on a small hill outside of the town’s walls. The sudden movement made Isa move his head to look up at Lea in slight confusion. 

“Lea?”

“You asked to dance.”

“I suppose I did, yes.”

“So I wanted to let you dance.” He tilted his head up to kiss Isa’s forehead, not letting anxiety take hold over him. “Will you just dance with me, Isa?”

“What if I hadn’t come back?”

Lea was taken by surprise by Isa’s question. Steps faltered. 

“What?”

“What if I hadn’t come back, Lea? What if I hurt you?”

“First of all, you did both of those things and yet, I’m still here.” Squeezing Isa’s hand as a physical reminder of his presence, Lea resumed dancing. He had the lead, he wasn’t letting go. “I'm not going to lie to you, you hurt me. Physically. Pretty bad. I know I hurt you too, especially when I was getting my heart back.”

“Lea, I-”

“Isa, shut up. You said you don't want to talk. You can just dance and listen for now.”

“Alright,” Isa said with a sigh, leaning his head back against Lea’s shoulder. If he was going to be allowed there, he didn't want to pass up the opportunity. He didn't know if it would last past that dance if it was going to include talking.

“I’m really sorry for letting it seem like I was pushing you away. I stopped wanting to tell you everything somewhere down the line and maybe I was replacing you. Saïx wasn't quite you, I don't think you could let him be.” 

“I believed Xemnas.”

“We both did. Kinda stupid when we knew he was lying about something, right?”

Isa laughed. It wasn't joyful, but it wasn't quite bitter. “You're right. We planned to overpower him and yet believed him despite… feeling.”

“When did you start feeling again?”

“I don't know. It's hard to tell, I refused to believe it for so long.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Lea muttered, his voice not as strong as it had been. “We got really fucked up. Braig fucked with us too.”

“Braig was one of the worst things to happen to all of us. The original apprentices trusted him and he led them to their deaths. Our deaths. Lea, you told me you woke up with Ienzo, Aeleus, Dilan, and Even in the room, right? Why weren't we there? What did he _do to me_?”

Isa’s voice broke towards the end. They'd all been awake when Even was taken. Lauriam. Arlene. But him? He'd woken up confused. Scar surprisingly fresh, painful. Still hurting. Still abandoned. Still Saïx. He'd tried to be Isa, but he still couldn't feel his whole heart.

“I… Isa, I don't know. I looked for you. I looked everywhere for you. I searched every world I could get to that you might've gone to. Then worlds I didn't expect to find you in… Maybe you just didn't want me to find you, that was my rationale.”

“Lea, no. That was never it. I never stopped wanting you with me. You stopped wanting me with you.”

“Alright, this is the only time I’m gonna play this card. I didn't, Axel did. He wanted Isa, not what Saïx had become. I’m Lea and I will always want you. What part of I woke up and tore the worlds apart looking for you do you not understand?”

Isa took in a deep breath, trying to recapture his calm. When he let himself focus on the swaying motion, it was easy. Lea was there and bringing him back home. Again. Lea was always going to be there. 

Isa moved his hand from Lea’s waist to Lea’s shoulder, letting their bodies be even closer. He needed that. He needed Lea close again and the dancing was. Nice.

“I've heard there’s a word for this,” Isa mused, his voice level again. No sign of the tears he'd had to fight back moments ago. 

“Huh?”

“I don't know it, so don't ask me, but I've heard there's a word for wanting to dance away melancholy.”

“Is it working?” 

“You're helping.”


End file.
